40 years for kidnappers

Four men from Leeds have been sentenced to a combined total of over 40 years in jail after the kidnap and torture of a 16-year-old man. Shaheed Rahman, aged 24 was sentenced to 12 years, 9 months, Syed Ahmed, 24 was sentenced to 12 years, Ali Shuel Hussain, 28 was sentenced to 10 years and Abdul Rajaque, 29 was sentenced to 5 years, 3 months.

Four men from Leeds have been sentenced to a combined total of over 40 years in jail after the kidnap and torture of a 16-year-old man.

Shaheed Rahman, aged 24 was sentenced to 12 years, 9 months, Syed Ahmed, 24 was sentenced to 12 years, Ali Shuel Hussain, 28 was sentenced to 10 years and Abdul Rajaque, 29 was sentenced to 5 years, 3 months. A fifth man, Hassan Ahmed, aged 25, will be sentenced at a later date.

Rahman and Ahmed both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to blackmail.

The court heard that on April 30 last year, the 16-year -old victim was kidnapped while walking home in the Harehills area of Leeds after visiting a local fast food restaurant.

He was then taken to an address in the Belle Isle area of the city where he was burned with an iron and scalded with boiling water over a five-hour period.

During this time his brother was repeatedly contacted by the kidnappers who demanded a £20,000.00 ransom and threatened to cut off the victim's fingers unless it was paid.

Following a report of the kidnap from the victim's brother, police in North East Leeds contacted local officers and arrested Syed Ahmed from the house in Belle Isle and Rahman a short time later.

Detective Superintendent Bill Shackleton, from West Yorkshire Police's Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: "This was a deeply traumatic experience for the young man who was taken hostage, and also for those members of his family who were obliged to deal with the demands made by the kidnappers.

"The fact that a 16-year-old young man was needlessly tortured with a hot steam iron and by having red hot water poured onto his skin made this offence all the more despicable.

"What this investigation has shown is that with the use of technologies now available to support the work of the police we are exceptionally adept at detecting this type of offence and in gathering evidence, arresting those responsible and bringing them before the courts."